Ken’s Moto Shack and Lounge

Everything is quiet now at the shack — owner Ken Hull’s name for the rustic barn behind his log home where the the Moto Hangs take place. But in early May, on a Wednesday evening, this scene will be transformed by the inclusion of dozens of motorcycles. And perhaps a few scooters.

The Moto Hang takes place on the first and third Wednesday of the month beginning on May 3, 2017.

The first event is usually at the shack. The second often takes place at a different location. Sometimes at a rider’s home. Or at a motorcycle garage or dealership. And a couple times at a local airfield where one of the riders took people for rides in his airplane.

Poster on the Wall

What is the Boalsburg Moto Hang? It’s a laid back gathering of riders and motorcycle and scooter enthusiasts who’ve found a place to talk about the things they’ve experienced and love. The conversations are wide ranging — covering diagnostic opinions from motorcycle mechanics to the pros and cons of a specific style of tire’s performance in the desert. And everything in between.

Ken Hull at the Boalsburg Moto Hang

Founder Ken Hull told me once that he just wanted to have a venue for people to get together and talk about motorcycles. Measuring with that yardstick, the Moto Hangs have been a rousing success.

Piston and Pints

A bit of history. The event was christened “Pistons and Pints” but the name evolved to Moto Hang over concerns referencing the event with alcohol. While a small fridge stocked with beer and soft drinks is in the shack, Moto Hang (and Piston and Pints) is decidedly not a drinking event. Many don’t drink at all. Some have one beer. I’ve not seen anyone while I’ve been there “drinking.” Perhaps a testament to the serious nature of the riders who attend and have probably studied enough crash research to appreciate the connection between alcohol and catastrophe.

View of the Moto Hang

Here’s a short video I made that provides a glimpse of one of the events.

I’ve invited quite a few people to the Moto Hang over the years and I’ll occasionally hear a concern that “I’m not a serious enough rider to attend.” I understand the concern of being an outsider, not fitting in, and generally avoiding opportunities as a result of my own, narrow-minded mental censor. That censor is a real SOB. Let me share a few things about the people who attend the Moto Hang.

People and Motorcycles

There is absolutely no standard, rules, requirements or group think there. It’s an eclectic group of riders comprising a rainbow of ages, gender, motorcycle brands and experience levels. You’ll see guys arrive on a 50cc Honda Mini Trail Bike and on motorcycles that can speed along at takeoff speeds for a Boeing 747. There are BMWs, Triumphs, Ducatis, Vespas, Hondas, Harleys and just about any make and model you might want to see will eventually roll up to the shack. No one has ever turned up their nose because I ride a scooter or if someone only commutes to work. There are people who have ridden around the world and those who have never been on a ride longer than 15 miles.

Riders of All Stripes

You can come to the Moto Hang. Your voice, your experience, the stories you tell are just as valuable as anyone else has to share. And perhaps the most valuable aspect of the Moto Hang — it helps transform you from a scooter or motorcycle owner into a rider. There’s inspiration in the stories you’ll hear. They have a way of broadening a person’s perspective of the road.

Motorcycles, scooters and more

So mark your calendar. May 3, 2017 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the Moto Shack in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania. This map below will provide specific directions to the Moto Hang.  Or you can email Ken Hull directly at ken@kenhull.com for more information or to be added to the Moto Hang mailing list.